Puzzle.



T. W. LANCASTER.

PUZZLE."

APPLICATION FILED MAY? 1911.

Patented May 7,1918 v lit tlll

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented na r, rel.

Applieation'filed May 7, 1917. serial Ito. 167,096.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, THOMAS W. LANCAS- TER, a subject of the King ofEngland, who has declared his intention to become a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Puzzles,of which he following is a specification.

My invention relates to puzzles of the sectional type, and the object ofthe invention is to provide a construction such that the sides and endsof the interfitting sections shall be rectilinear and arranged at eitheracute or obtuse angles relatively to each other, with the sides parallelto the sides and the ends parallel to the ends, respectively, thesections, at the same time, presenting a diamond-'shaped-outline whenassembled.

ll accomplish my object by the construction illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure it is not a perspective but is atop plan view of the complete puzzle.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is the to plan view of one of the sections of the puzzle.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

I provide a diamond-shaped box'or container, having a bottom 1 and a'marginal flange or beading 2. The flange is shallow and preferablyrounded over at the top. This makes it easy to insert or withdraw thesections and adds to the appearance of the puzzle. Y

The sections are alike. They all have certain characteristics in common,however, to wit: the sides are parallel to the sides, and the ends areparallel to the ends, and all of the angles at which the sides meet theends are either obtuse or acute. Furthermore, the obtuse angles are allof the same degree, and the acute angles are all of the same degree,and, in the preferred form shown. each section has at least two portionswhich are arranged either at an obtuse or an acute angle relatively .toeach other. The puzzle is distinctly difi'erent, therefore, from thosepuzzles in which the sections have sides and ends arranged at rightangles'to each other and those puzzles which have sections ar- 3 are ofmany difi'erent shapes; in fact, practically speaking, no two which thesections can be assembled. In a puzzle in which the sides and endsapproach at various angles, the size of the angle is itself anindication to the eye of the player as to what piece it should be matedwith. In my puzzle not only are the sections themselves constructed inthe manner indicated, but, when assembled, they form a diamondshapedfigure corresponding to the shape of the box.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that in my puzzle the sections havenothing but acute or obtuse angles; their sides are parallel to theirsides; their ends are parallel to their ends; their outline, when assemsbled, is diamond-shaped; and practically every instance, if not everyinstance, each section has a plurality of portions arranged either at.an obtuse or an acute angle relatively to the adjacent portion. Thismakes a very ditlicult puzzle, which, nevertheless, has the appearanceof being very simple, thus adding to the interest which the player willtake and the time which will berequired in solving the puzzle-.-Furthermore, as all obtuse angles are of the same degree and all acuteangles are of the same degree, the degree of the angle affords no clueto solution.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A puzzle having a plurality of intertin pieces, which, whenassembled, have the outline of a diamond, the sides of the pieces beingparallel to the sides of the diamond and the ends of the pieces beinparallel to the ends of the diamond, where y all angles on the piecesare either obtuse or acute.

2. A sectional puzzle consisting of a diamond-shaped box and looseinterfitting sections having rectilinear sides and'ends, the angles ofall of the sections being either acute or obtuse, and the box having ashallow, upstanding marginal flange or beading for retaining thesections and at the same lltltl) time permitting them to be readilyintroduced or removed.

3. A puzzle consisting of a diamondshaped box and a set of interfittingsections 5 fitting into and covering the floor of the box, the sides andends of the sections being rectilinear and parallel to the sides andends of the box, whereby the angles are all either 01)- tuse or acute,some of said pieces having acute, rentrant angles. 10

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

THOMAS W. LANCASTER.

